Renaissance New York Hotel Times Square [Master Thread]
 

We will be staying here on a Sat-Tues later this month. Do any Platinums have experience on upgrades or benefits here or have any advice on room requests?

Been here numerous times: as a Plat I've only been upgraded once - the hotel is often at capacity. Nice views of Times Square from the lobby lounge.

Very nice hotel but like BostonFlyer said the hotel is often fully booked. Last time I did ask them to switch rooms they did but only as of the second day as they were fully booked as well (again).

It never hurts to ask though so I would certainly do.

1) No upgrades

2) Hotel faces East/West, so TSq views from the rooms do not exist.

3) There is no CL. They serve breakfast in a portion of the lobby, and give you a free cert for an appetizer at night.

4) The rooms are standard New York sized rooms.

My husband and I just stayed there in March for our anniversary. We are only gold, but receved our free appetizer and breakfast in the bar area. They did deliver a small bottle of champagne and delicious chocolates with an anniversary card to our room while we were out, which was a nice touch. I thought the room size was fantastic and larger than standard hotel rooms in NYC. Enjoy your stay....we did!

Nothing other than breakfast and a coupon
 

Just stayed here May 3-6, and all I got was my one appetizer coupon and concierge lounge like breakfast in the R-Lounge. R-Lounge view is pretty cool though.

Have stayed there on points the last three years on our anniversary in September...upgraded to a corner Jr Suite each stay, and champagne and chocolates in the room all the times.

Highly recommend this property....we are staying there again this year

Move to the NY Marriott Marquis
 

The Ren in Times Square is less than great. We got nothing but the smallest room in the house when we stayed.

Based on the comments on FT, I moved our most recent stay in March from the Ren to the NY Marquis and it was so much better. First, they have a nice CL. Also, they upgraded us to a room with a view.

Thanks for the info everyone. We got a great LNF rate here of $250 vs. $529 regular rate and $459 at Marquis. Looking forward to our stay!

This hotel offers no platinum benefits at all.

I booked a "High Floor King Room" advertised room (premium price) on their website. I ended up in an ordinary king room on the 14th floor (hotel floors are approx 4-26), so I was about 1/3 the way up. No upgrade, and I'm not sure how you can market a room lower than most as "high floor".

There is no free breakfast for elites on the weekend. The restaurant has on its menu EXACTLY what other Marriotts offer to elite's for free on weekends, a mediocre continental breakfast. This hotel only offers 1000 points. Why does Marriott allow that? I paid for the continental breakfast anyway. The ingredients, staff, atmosphere, etc were at most average, I ate perhaps $4-5 worth of stuff at retail grocery prices, even for NYC.

No one offered the $10 food and beverage credit at checkin, just told me that "You will get 500 points for being platinum, for a total of 2500 points on this stay".

I get that this hotel is always at capacity and has little need for elites. It makes me question an elite program if Marriott will allow its more popular hotels to opt out without any sign of hardship (the few dollars of food for a continental breakfast is not abnormal hardship).

You should have said I'll collect the $100 now. You're supposed to be offered the choice, not told you'll get points. However, you need to have invoked the PAG guarantee before check-out.

Cheers.

Any recent visits? Specifically has anyone stayed in the Times Square Terrace Rooms with balconies overlooking Broadway?

Anyone?

Deciding between one of those rooms or the 'Renaissance Suite' at the hotel.

I stayed in December 2016. The lobby and Times Square-facing bar was renovated and quite nice. The rooms were really, really outdated. Probably circa 2005/2006. I was going to book a corporate function there in December 2017, but was told the rooms were not fully renovated. I think the best option is the Renaissance Midtown as it is almost brand new.

Renaissance Time Square Destination Fee
 

So this is a new one on me. Checked in as a Platinum at Renaissance Time Square on award stay this weekend, and they wanted to charge me a $25 "Destination Fee" per day. This is not a "Resort Fee". What this buys you is a hop on/off bus pass, 10% discount at NFL Experience, and they will give you a $25 credit toward food and beverage bought at hotel. I basically told them the last thing a business traveler wants is to get on a hop on off bus. They eventually removed the fee. I have yet to see this at any other Marriott property. Am I missing something?